The family of the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Gen. Mamman Vatsa, who was executed by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida military regime, has demanded the restoration of his rank as a General in the Nigerian Army and a full military burial.
Naijaonpoint reports that Vatsa was accused of plotting a coup against Babangida in 1985 and was executed by firing squad in March 1986, alongside other alleged coup plotters, following a controversial military tribunal trial.
However, his execution remains a subject of debate, with many believing he was a victim of political power struggles rather than a genuine coup conspirator.
Vatsa and Babangida, both from Niger State, were childhood friends and confidants before the events that led to Vatsa’s execution.
In his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, Babangida detailed the events leading to Vatsa’s death, insisting that his childhood friend was guilty of plotting a coup.
“Above all, everyone who had signed on to a military career understood clearly what it meant to plan a coup and fail. The penalty was clear and unmistakable.
“Vatsa’s death was a personal loss of a childhood friend. As a human being, I was somewhat depressed to watch him die in such circumstances. However, the nation’s stability and the cohesion of the armed forces were too high on the scale of priorities to be sacrificed for personal considerations,” Babangida wrote.
Family Faults Babangida’s Justification
However, the Vatsa family has dismissed Babangida’s claims, accusing him of distorting facts in his book.
Speaking with Punch, the family spokesperson, Jonathan Vatsa, insisted that no amount of compensation could ease the pain of losing the late General.
He, however, stressed that the only meaningful compensation would be for the Federal Government to restore Vatsa’s rank and grant him a full military burial.
Jonathan said, “There is no amount of compensation that would bring Vatsa back to life. If Vatsa is not alive and all of us have survived, how much would you give as compensation?
“If there is anything we are looking for, not from Babangida, but from President Bola Tinubu, it is to clean the dirty name Babangida has rubbed on Vatsa, exhume his body, and give him a full military burial. If those things are done for us, I’m telling you, we will all be happy.
“That is the compensation we are looking for, now that the truth has come out that Vatsa was innocent. Based on the available facts and what Domkat Bali has said, Vatsa’s rank should be restored, and he should be given a full military burial. His name should be removed from the tainted list he was placed on.”